BY THE WAYSIDE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 148, 8 June 1935, Page 8

BY THE WAYSIDE

Of Interest to Farmers DEMAND FOR DRAUGHTS The good demand for quality types of draught horses at the horse fair at Waipukurau on Thursday and at Stortford Lodge yesterday gives yet further indication of the increasing importance that the horse is assuming in New Zealand agriculture. As was stressed in a recent article in these columns, the depression has forcibly brought home to farmers the value of the horse as a means of economical working on the farm. Present conditions would appear to indicate that this trend will continue, and that it will be a very long time before the horse becomes a back number. 4F 4F * One feature that struck a number of the spectators at the Hastings horse fair was the large number of rough sorts of horses on offer, both in the draught and the hack sections. A possible explanation of this state of affairs advanced to the writer by one farmer who is keenly interested in horse breeding is that many farmers, realising that a good demand exists for horses at the present time, are sending forward animals which under ordinary circumstances would be allowed to stay on the farm and do nothing. However, any hopes that such vendors had of realising good returns were rather rudely shattered, as buyers plainly showed that they were only interested in the better class of animal.

During the meeting of the Hawke’s Bay fruit-growers at Hastings on Thursday, Mr N. J. Adamson, Orchard Instructor, emphasised the importance of pruning to growers. Hawke’s Bay had experienced a light crop this last season, he said, and indications were that the coming crop would be a heavy one. By using the saw instead of the socaturs and doing away with much of the surplus wood on the trees, growers would be able to obtain good sized apples, as well as making conditions such that the control of codlin moth would be more satisfactorily carried out.

While farmers are now protected against exploitation by vendors of quack remedies, the fruit-grower has yet no guarantee that the sprays he uses are of a satisfactory standard. However, according to Dr Cunningham, mycologist at the Plant Research station, Palmerston North, it will not be long before sprays are registered and examined by the Government, so as to ensure that these materials comply with the requirements of the Department of Agriculture. This assurance was given to fruitgrowers at a meeting on Thursday.

The freedom of this district from frosts this season and winter has been of considerable value to farmers throughout the province in enabling them to have good supplies of fresh green feed available generally for their stock. Ono farmer with whom the writer was recently in conversation, stated that he was carrying through his stock in great order, and such supplementary crops as he had available were being utilised for fattening purposes. He stated that on barley he had recently turned off a line of lambs which averaged 401bs. when put through the works.

Two or throe decades ago Southland was a considerable grower and exporter to the North Island of potatoes, but since oat growing has declined potato production has lessened in sympathy as land has gone out of cultivation. The area in 1934 was only 1311 acres and that of Otago 2000 acres. However, yields are generally higher than the Dominion average. It is only occasionally that more than sufficient potatoes for local requirements are produced in the southern province, and it is rarely that Otago production meets the internal needs of that province. The reports of the crop this year are to the effect that there will not be a very big yield in Southland, and if is expected that little will Be left for export outside.

Paragraphs have appeared on this page from time to time recording the extraordinary prolificacy of a Worcestershire sow, which had produced in her 11 years or so of life more than 300 pigs. Later information recorded that up to the end of last March the sow had farrowed 385 pigs in 23 litters. Another litter was recently due, and the owner hoped that the 400 mark would be reached. The sow farrowed early last month, but her contribution was twins! This extraordinary pig is now 12 years old, and she is to be given a further opportunity of maintaining her reputation, and, incidentally, establishing a record that may stand for many years to come.